Courts, Lawsuits & Small Claims · Court basics
Court fees, fee waivers and court access
In this guide
- People receiving certain public benefits or with low income can ask the court to waive fees.
- California courts provide interpreters in many kinds of cases at no cost.
- Courts offer disability accommodations on request.
Fee waivers
Court filing fees can be several hundred dollars. A person can request a fee waiver using form FW-001. People generally qualify if they receive certain public benefits (such as Medi-Cal, CalFresh, SSI, or CalWORKs), if household income is low compared to federal poverty guidelines, or if paying fees would mean not being able to cover basic needs.
Interpreters
California courts provide spoken-language interpreters at no cost in many types of cases, and sign language interpreters for all court proceedings. Requests are usually made through the local court’s interpreter office.
Disability accommodations
People with disabilities can request accommodations, such as assistive listening devices or schedule changes, using form MC-410 or the court’s process.
Remote appearances
Many California courts allow some hearings by video or phone. Each court posts its rules and instructions.
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